U.S. Pat. No. 1,732,405 discloses a motor transmission unit which has an engine charging compressor for controlling the speed of a wheel member of a bevel gear type planetary drive, the compressor's resistance acting to vary the output speed of the transmission. This device lacks a means for gradually stopping the planetary drive wheel member, the motor transmission unit is complex and as a result the transmission is not very efficient.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,295 discloses a stepless variable ratio transmission which has a worm gear assembly for controlling the speed of a wheel member of a conventional type planetary drive and uses a stepping motor to control the speed of the worm and vary the speed of the transmission. This device has the disadvantage of being complex with the worm gear assembly and stepping motor, and requires additional power to operate the stepping motor.
U.S. Pat. No. 838,655 discloses a hoisting device which has a manually operated band brake for stopping an idler wheel member of a gear arrangement to actuate lifting movement of the hoist. The device transfers power in a lift or non-lift schedule, and has no means to engage at a variable lifting speed through a changing variable gear ratio.
None of the aforementioned patents appear to provide insights or practical solutions to the problem of adaptation of alternate directional output power and speed control through a continuous variable gear ratio using a common gear train.
It is an object of the invention to provide a transmission capable of output shaft speed control through a continuously variable gear ratio drive train.
It is another object of the invention to provide a simple mechanism for alternate output direction control through a common continuous variable gear ratio drive train.